Four weeks tomorrow marks Mom’s exit from her earthly dwelling place.
Friday, Justice will be three weeks old; post-womb.
I am livin’ in New Territory!
Never in my life have I lived without my Mom’s presence. Never have I lived with a second baby grandson. Dramatic life shifts have occurred and honestly, it feels sad, joyful, melancholy, elated, different, new, bittersweet. I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge all of the emotions present in my heart and brain. I’m not sure how to process all of it. At times, tears well up, then praise, then prayers, then I’ll spot an empty place in my heart; then, a swelling place of joy. So many mixed feelings. I waffle and vacillate.
Add to my personal changes, COVID-19, separations, social/ethical/cultural unrest and unbelievable events in our country. Life is different, hard, disconcerting and yet, joyful. How to process all of it and respond through my faith system seems challenging; it’s so vast.
Our world is in New Territory! I am, but so are you! There’s no denying it!!
I’m sure many emotions are happening in your heart, if you’ve contemplated and heard the cry’s, sufferings and injustices our world is talking about. Outcries are not new to our world. They happen around the world regularly. People struggling, abused, concentrations camps, refugee camps, people oppressed, suppressed and praying for a better world. (Many times we are immune because they’re distant.)
It’s heartbreaking and horribly atrocious. My heart hurts and aches at the way humans treat humans… we are ALL HUMAN. Is that not evident? We all share the same Creator … to me that is overarching and answers so much.
I certainly don’t have answers and hesitate to even brooch this subject, given the unfamiliar territory I’m learning to navigate personally: my brain is a little overloaded with thoughts and emotions. Plus, I am an expert at nothing!
It occurred to me; we are ALL in New Territory!
I am living in new personal territory which you may or may not be facing.
But we are all facing changes in our country and world.
Although change often has negative connotations, that’s certainly NOT always how it ends up!
Because I believe God is weaving a story in this world we don’t understand or see, I wholeheartedly believe change can bring “new” and “new” can breathe life into horribly broken places. Just because we’ve never walked this territory before, does not mean it can’t make us healthier and better. I earnestly pray it does!
- Mom entered New Territory when she took her last breath on earth!
- Justice entered New Territory when he left the safety and security of his mother’s womb.
- I entered new Territory as these events unfolded 1 week and 2 days apart.
- We all walk in New Territory as our world seeks changes.
- Mom left the old Territory with the pain of bodily functions shutting down.
- Justice left the old Territory, his mother’s womb, with birthing pains.
- I left my old Territory with grief and joy.
- We all leave the old Territory of “status quo” with pains of change!
I pray through our grief of change: Joy will arise!
Wading into New Territory,
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Elaine Stone 